Go, Move, Shift
by GimmeBanjo
Summary: Invicta AU: “When life hands you lemons, make orange juice, then wonder how the hell you did it.” Kelly walks away from her dream job and Brennan offers to help her make orange juice because that’s what family does.
1. Real Winner

Go, Move, Shift

Invicta AU: "When life hands you lemons, make orange juice, then wonder how the hell you did it." Kelly walks away from her dream job and Brennan offers to help her make orange juice because that's what family does.

* * *

_I'm trying something a little different here… each chapter (there's 3 or 4) is going to be in present time of my AU and then there will be a flashback. Kind of like a question and answer thing, except the answers are a little more abstract. I'm a believer that everything you do in life is a result of some previous experience, either directly or indirectly. My intention was to make this a Kelly/Brennan story, but I realized that I can't make it Kelly and Brennan unless there is Booth._

_As always, all types of reviews and suggestions are welcomed. _

* * *

**_The eastern sky was full of stars  
And one shone brighter than the rest  
The wise men came so stern and strict  
And brought the orders to evict_**

_**You'd better get born in some place else  
So move along, get along, move along, get along  
Go, move, shift**  
~"Go, Move, Shift" Christy Moore_

_

* * *

_

Kelly was off the case before it even started. Martin had thrown the file at her that morning saying, "Make sense of this, Pusher." And she had. _Special Agent__ Seeley Booth__, arresting officer._ She took it back to Martin and as politely as possible, refused the case. Martin argued that she stay on, saying the only possible outcome would be the client would think that Kelly wasn't doing all she could as his lawyer and fire her. Martin looked at her sternly, "Just make sure that doesn't happen."

"With all due respect, Martin, I admire your diplomacy and shrewd business practices," She stood nervously across from his desk.

"But?" He eyed her over the top of his glasses.

"It's my brother." She said helplessly, hoping he would understand.

"Is it a conflict of interest?" He wasn't understanding, he was accusing her of being weak.

"No." She shook her head. "My interest lies in winning the case. There's no conflict there; I win."

"It's your brother." He sighed and looked back down at the case notes in front of him.

"Yes." She tried to get his eyes back on her, but he was successfully avoiding her. "The only reason I can't do it is because I know I'm going to win. I can work up a great case, I can find every loophole in the law. I can win this one." She put her hands on the desk and leaned forward. "You and I both know that."

"So win it." He took off his glasses and looked at her with a wily smile. "I refuse to take you off the case. I won't put you in the court room, but you're going to be the one who wins it for us." Kelly stepped back and looked at him with an empty look of surprise. "As for my diplomacy and shrewd business practices," He spat out mockingly "I know a gold mine when I see one, and you, Ms. Booth, are my gold mine. The only way you're off this case is if you walk out that door right now, pack up your things and never come back. A keen legal mind like yours will always be able to find work at Legal Aid."

"Mr. Schwartz," Kelly started, but stopped when he put on his glasses and looked at the notes again.

"The choice is yours, Ms. Booth." He said curtly. "Win a case or lose a job."

*

6 year-old Kelly Booth's favorite time of the day was right after school. She would sit with her grandmother at the kitchen table working on homework, while her brothers would flow in and out in between various sport practices and homework of their own.

Kelly's favorite educational aid was a cardboard clock her teacher had given her class to help them practice reading time. It had little cardboard arms that were attached by a brass brad and swung around easily. Every day, while her grandmother was helping her with her handwriting or addition, Kelly would place the cardboard clock on the edge of the table.

On his way to practice or hanging out with friends, Seeley would swing into the kitchen, grab a snack from the fridge, and on his way out, he would pick up the clock and ask her, "How many?" She'd pick an arbitrary number from 1 to 10 and Seeley would spin the hands of the clock, counting to that number. He'd place the clock back on the table in front of Kelly and she'd study it. After hemming and hawing, she would look up at her oldest brother and proclaim the time.

He'd smile when she got it right, proclaiming, "Right on, Shining Star!" and give her either a high five or flick at her ponytail. Most days, that was the extent of their interaction. Seeley would be out during dinner and wouldn't come home until she was already asleep. But every day, that clock was there on the table and her brother made her feel like a winner, like she was the world's smartest first grader.


	2. Suck It Up

Kelly had called over to the FBI and asked to speak with Booth. The agent that had answered the phone said he wasn't there, and Kelly tried his cell phone with no luck. She needed to talk to someone, so she got in her car and drove to the Jeffersonian. Hoping to speak to Angela, she trudged past security and made her way into the lab. She didn't have to hunt for long as Angela was standing on the platform with Brennan, the rest of the squints and Booth.

"There he is." She mumbled to herself as she stood at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for someone to let her up.

She was only standing there for a minute when Angela tossed her hair over her shoulder and caught a glimpse of Kelly, wearing a t-shirt and jeans and a expression of abject despair and misery in the middle of the work day.

"Oh my God, Sweetie." Angela gasped when she saw Kelly. Everyone else on platform turned and looked at her. Booth's face twisted in confusion then panic when he started processing the sight in front of him.

"Kelly," He flew down the stairs, skipping over the last few steps. "What happened, is Parker-" He stopped in front of her, his arms twitched at his side, not knowing what was wrong and how he should respond.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Kelly looked down at her pink Converse sneakers.

"What's wrong?" He tried to look in her eyes, but she kept avoiding him.

"In private maybe?"

"You can use my office if you need somewhere to talk." Brennan spoke up from behind Booth. His head turned at the sound of her voice and he realized he didn't hear her following him. He whispered his thanks and she sympathetically smiled back.

He consented to Kelly with a nod, gently steering her out of the lab area and into Brennan's office. Once in the room, he took his hand away from her small of her back and she stood still. He looked at her for a moment. She refused to meet his eyes, concentrating on picking off her hot pink nail polish.

"Do you want to sit down?" He asked uncomfortably. Her eyes flashed up to meet his for a brief second, she nodded, then she looked back down at the ground and walked over to the couch.

Dumbfounded, Booth followed her. Kelly was usually a firecracker, her eyes always twinkling mischievously, but in that brief second he had seen all the fight was gone. Kelly practically fell into the couch, keeping her eyes on her nails. Booth gently sat next to her, keeping a few feet of space between them. He didn't know how to broach the topic of what was bothering her, so he decided to wait.

"You know the Harvey Kennedy case is coming to trial." She said after a minute. Booth nodded, remembering the harrowing experience that was catching Harvey Kennedy. The man had killed his girlfriend's two young sons. He and Bones had chased the man for over a week, finding clues just to have him allude them at the last minute. To calm himself, Booth took a deep breath and nodded. "Martin gave me the case."

"You're going to be representing Kennedy in court?" A wave of nausea passed over him and he swallowed hard to fight it.

"No," She shook her head, looking at her shoes. "I'm not going to representing anyone in court until I can find another job."

"Excuse me?"

"I was fired," She shrugged. "Well, I quit. It was a mutual decision." She looked up at him. "I win. That's what I do and I do it well, but there's always that option I might lose, and if I had to lose, I'd prefer it be to you, but-" She stopped and bit her lip. "But I saw the case notes and I knew how I could win it. A legal loophole. It took me only ten minutes to see it."

"What did we miss?" He didn't know if he was angry or proud at that moment.

"Nothing. You did everything right." She sighed and looked up. "It was a stretch to go for the loophole and I know it, but there was legal precedence. I figured if I was off the case, I could maybe keep it a secret. On the case, I'm obligated to do everything in my power to assure my client's safety."

"What about the safety of the little boys he killed?" Booth growled.

"Not the time for a moral debate." She rolled her eyes. "I went to Martin, asking to be taken off the case and he told me no. We both knew I would win, and he told me that either I win or I walk."

"You walked."

"I didn't have a choice." She sighed "And now I don't have a job. And I'm going to have one well of a time getting a good reference letter from Martin."

"You did this for me?" Booth asked breathlessly after a second.

"No!" She looked up at him. "I did it for me! I don't like being backed into a corner. I'm honored that Martin only sees me as someone who can seal the deal, but I want to be more than that." She turned to face him and tucked her legs underneath her. "I want to be irreplaceable. I hate ultimatums."

Booth laughed darkly and Kelly looked at him curiously.

"Last ultimatum someone gave you, you ended up running away for ten years."

"Yeah," She picked up a pillow that was on the couch and started kneading it. "I guess you're right. But I'm not running away this time."

"Yes you did." Booth pointed out. "You quit, got fired, whatever it is... you ran away from your job."

"Because he was going to make me turn you into a fool!" She protested.

"I don't let lawyers turn me into a fool." He sneered. Secretly, he was glad Kelly left, but he also knew how important that job was to her, and slowly guilt crept in with the gladness.

"I would have won." She said, tilting her chin up in a defiant manner. Booth didn't doubt her for one second. "But you're right, a killer would have been walking free." She seemed to deflate at that moment. The proud, confident Kelly melted into a sad little girl. Booth reached across the couch and pulled her into a hug.

"Hopefully whoever has the case now isn't as smart or devious as you are." He mumbled and she laughed in response.

"My first murder trial." She said almost regretfully. "And I blew it."

"There will be more." He promised as he pulled out of the hug. "Unfortunately."

"I don't know, maybe not for me." She sighed "Maybe this is a sign from God telling me that I should be doing something else with my life."

"You're going to throw away your law degree?" He looked at her in disbelief

"No," She shook her head resolutely. "But I'm going to figure something else out. Weigh my options, try again."

"Sounds like a plan." He smiled

*

12 year-old Kelly Booth threw a sweater into the suitcase sitting on her bed. With the back of her hand, she wiped away a stray tear that made it's way down her cheek.

"Child Services should be here any moment, Kelly." A soft voice came from her doorway and she snapped her head in the direction of the gentle sound. She sighed when she saw Alice Booth, her father's wife and the only mother she had ever really known, standing there. "Do you need any help?"

"No." She quickly replied and threw another shirt in the suitcase.

"I think you should take this." Alice crossed into the room and made her way to Kelly's dresser where she picked up a framed picture of her three children. She looked at it fondly before handing it over to Kelly. Alice had always considered Kelly to be one of her children, as though blood relation was not an issue.

"Thanks." Kelly muttered as she placed it on top of her clothes.

"I know this doesn't make it easier, but I don't want you to go, either." Alice stood there helplessly as a fresh stream of tears made their way down Kelly's cheeks.

"Mommy." Kelly cried out meekly and threw her arms around Alice's neck. The girl's use of Mommy didn't shock her at all. Alice knew that the bond between Kelly and the Booth family was stronger than anything her birth mother, Stephanie, could ever hope to have. If it wasn't for biology and genetics, this girl was hers. For all intents and purposes, the girl belonged with her and her sons. Only the law said something different.

"God is giving you the opportunity to show the world not to mess with Kelly Booth." Alice smiled softly as she held the girl at arms length and pushed a stray blond hair behind the her ear. "Don't forget who you are, Kelly. You're the one who is smart and strong. You're the one who everyone loves so dearly-" She cut herself off before she started crying and pulled Kelly back into a hug. "We aren't going to abandon you. I'm only a phone call away."

"Mom," Jared stood uncomfortably in the doorway. "They're here."

Alice stood up and tried to slip out of Kelly's firm grasp.

"I don't want to go with them." Kelly pleaded. "Can you and Jared take me?"

"Let me talk to them." Alice reassured her with a warm smile. "I'll see what I can do."

She left the room to talk to Child Services and Jared stepped aside to let her pass. When she was down the hallway, he came into the room and sat on the corner of Kelly's bed.

"Do you want me to take your suitcase down for you?" He offered weakly.

"No." She whispered as she zipped it up.

"I wish," Jared's voice caught in his throat. "I wish Seeley was here. He's a lot better at the whole pep talk thing."

"He'd tell me to be strong because I'm a Booth." She sat down next to her brother. "And he'd tell me that he loves me. And he'd say not to get upset because there's more in store for me."

"Then I'll say it too." Jared nodded, knowing that whether he liked it or not, Seeley was right.

"You don't have to." Kelly looked up at him. She looked a lot younger than 12 years. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying and she had bitten her lip so fiercely that it had started bleeding. He reached out and held her in a tight embrace.

"You're my little sister, Munchkin." Jared sighed. "Even though you're not going to be in this house anymore, you're still a huge part of our lives."

"I'm scared, Bubba." Kelly whispered into his shoulder, using a nickname that he had forbidden all but Kelly to use. "I don't know her."

"She's your mother."

"Alice is my mother."

"You can have two."

"That's not very helpful." She hiccupped as more tears started falling.

"Look, Kells." Jared pulled out of the hug and place his hands on her shoulders, squaring her to look at him. "The Seeley in your head is right. We love you. Sure, we fight and sometimes we're pretty miserable, but stuff happens and we get over it. But your mom loves you too, so just give her a chance."

"Is this a suck it up and be a man speech?" She eyed him cautiously

"I guess." He shrugged. "I mean, what else can we do?"


	3. All By Herself

"Has Kelly started looking for a job yet?"

Booth and Brennan were driving through Maryland, following a trail of bones and traces of sulfur dioxide.

"No." Booth sighed. "She sits on the couch. She goes hiking with Jeremy. She takes Parker to and from school. Everything but looking for a job."

"It's only been a few weeks, Booth, maybe," Brennan eyed Booth, trying not to point out how his complaints were similar when she actually had a job. "she needs some time to adjust"

"She's just going to have to adjust to something else when she finally gets off her ass and finds one." He flipped open his phone and pressed a button. "This is Booth, I need the address for-"

Brennan started drifting away as Booth talked to the other FBI agent assigned to him for the case. She was concerned about Kelly. Booth had told her about how Kelly had left her job after being backed into a corner about the Kennedy trial. Brennan had been understanding of the fact that Kelly was not one to compromise her beliefs for a job, but she didn't understand how Kelly could actually get up and leave. She loved her job, it was her quiet rebellion. She walked with criminals but came home to her family of crime fighters. Brennan smiled a little, remember the conversation she and Kelly had a few weeks ago in Brennan's apartment. _It's like you're all a gang of superheroes._ Kelly had laughed. _My crime fighting superhero family. And from the hours of 8 to 5, I'm your archenemy, but from Happy Hour onward, you're my home-base._

She had been glad that Kelly had assimilated into Booth's life so effortlessly, like she had always been there. Perhaps she had. If Brennan could rationalize ghosts, it would be the memory of Kelly that she would attribute to that rationalization. She wasn't a shift in the geomagnetic field effecting the temporal lobe, she was simply a memory. They had all unknowingly lived with a ghost for years.

Brennan glanced over at Booth, still on the phone with the other agent. His mother had said that the day would come when Kelly wouldn't need Booth anymore, but Brennan disagreed. The two may drift apart, but like magnets, they'd find a way back. She had quit her job for him. They both adamantly protested the fact that it was because of him, but Brennan's untrained eye could easily read that Kelly's unending respect for her brother would never allow her to compete with him.

"The Jeffersonian has an Office of General Counsel." Brennan told him once he was off the phone.

"What?" He cast a quick glance her way as he turned onto the highway.

"Lawyers. The Jeffersonian employs a handful of lawyers. However, there is talks about adding a few more attorneys to the payroll."

"People sue the Jeffersonian?" He laughed with disbelief.

"It happens quite frequently." She nodded. "But the OGC also protects intellectual property, controls ethics, fights tort claims… There's the whole Freedom of Information Act… they also assist the U.S. Attorney's office if there's ever a trial."

"You're telling me this because…"

"I can put in a good word for Kelly. It won't be the exciting criminal defense world, a lot less time in a court room and more paperwork, but I think she'd be good at it."

"Kelly sitting behind a desk?" Booth snorted a little. "I want to be there when you suggest it to her."

"You think it's a bad idea." Brennan nodded, looking out the windshield.

"No, I love the idea." Booth explained. "The thought of my little sister hanging out in jails really does not sit well with me. If I had to chose, I'd have her representing mummified remains in a court of law. I just don't think she'll go for it."

"Why?"

"Tort law?" He looked at her incredulously. "Negligence? Liability? Defamation? Not really Kelly's thing."

"There are intentional tort laws like battery, assault and wrongful imprisonment." Brennan reminded him.

"Would she really be dealing with that at the Jeffersonian?"

"No." She conceded. "But abuse of power, maybe."

"Not unless Cam decides to go postal on the Squint Squad." He shrugged "I say it's worth a shot. When life hands you lemons,"

"I know this colloquialism." Brennan interrupted with a smile. "You make lemonade."

"No," Booth laughed. "You make orange juice and then wonder how the hell you did it."

"That doesn't make sense." She furrowed her eyebrows together.

"Pops used to tell us that. He was saying we're given the tools to make one thing, but try something else and see what happens."

"Couldn't he have just said that?"

"Telling a 10 year old that they "possess certain skills" and should that they "should utilize the environment around them" to "create a different outcome" or whatever it is you would have said doesn't really stick. Lemons and orange juice, though…"

"Working as the Jeffersonian's counsel would be very different for her."

"Orange juice." Booth nodded and grinned. "It would be nice to have her on our side."

"And in our offices." Brennan agreed. She knew that Booth would never say it, but having her there would allow him to keep an eye on her, however covertly he chose to do so. She only hoped that Kelly wouldn't see that.

*

9 year old Kelly Booth jumped off the last step out of the big, yellow school bus that had taken her class to the farm. Darting around her classmates, she spotted her brother up ahead, speaking with her teacher. She grinned as she ran towards him.

"Seeley!" She called out as she nearly knocked over Jenny Sheldon. Her brother had joined the Army and now he was home, taking a bit of time off to start on completing his college education. When her teacher, Miss Childress, had sent out a note to the parents asking for chaperones for their farm field trip, it had been Seeley who had offered to take his mother's place.

She ran up next to him and slipped her little hand into his large protective one. She looked up at him and grinned a lopsided grin. She was 9. She knew she was getting too old to be holding her brother's hand, but she didn't care when she heard some of the boys in her class teasing her. He gave her hand a light squeeze.

"You're going to protect me from the goats, right?" He asked as he grinned back.

"Your brother was just telling me about the run in with the goat at the petting zoo when you were little." Miss Childress smiled at Seeley. Kelly frowned back. Seeley should not be sharing personal stories with her teacher.

"Goats like to play headbutt." She stuck her nose up in the air at her teacher. "I do too."

"Kelly." Seeley tried to admonish her for being rude, but he smiled a little.

"I'm going to do a head count." Miss Childress said gracefully, backing away from the two of them. "Thank you again, Mr. Booth, for helping us out today."

"It's my pleasure." He smiled back.

"You like her." Kelly whined once Miss Childress was out of earshot and they started off towards the entrance to the farm. "You think she's pretty."

"Maybe I do." He shrugged, still holding her hand.

"If you start dating her, I better get good grades." She pointed a small finger up at him.

"I don't think I'm going to start dating her." He chuckled

"Whatever." She conceded, "I can get good grades without you."


	4. Dreams and Family

Brennan had called Kelly early in the morning inviting her out for a late lunch at the diner. Kelly happily accepted. It might have been the fact that she was doing nothing with her life, but she was starting to notice just how unbelievably busy her brother and her friends really were. In contrast to her current situation, they never seemed to stop working.

"So how's life?" Kelly asked after she accepted a plate of food from the waitress.

"Busy." Brennan smiled.

"You know, the people you work for are dead. They aren't going anywhere." Kelly smirked back. "You could take a break every once and a while."

"I'm here." Brennan laughed. "This is my break."

"I feel so honored." Kelly swooned with sarcasm then smiled back.

"Booth and I just wrapped up a case last week." She offered as small talk, a concept she was still adjusting to. "Bodies were found over four states, all the same amount of decomposition and murdered the same way."

"Serial killer?" Kelly raised an interested eyebrow.

"It appeared to be that way, but it was actually two killers. Twins."

"Ooh, juicy!" Kelly leaned in and sipped her Diet Coke. "Acting as one? That's psychologically fascinating."

"Dr. Sweets is having a good time with it." Brennan nodded. "His profile was dead on, with the exception of the twin phenomenon. It has been nearly impossible to identify which twin killed which victim."

"I would hate to have your job." Kelly laughed and sat back.

"What are you doing these days?" Brennan decided to broach the topic

"A little of this, a little of that." Kelly shrugged. "I've become addicted to Perez Hilton." She saw the clueless look on Brennan's face and explained, "A celebrity blogger. I spend hours on his website reading celebrity trash. Oh, I've gotten involved in community theater!"

"Community theater?"

"It was a total accident. Jeremy's little sister does theater and the community theater she is doing a show with has been having issues with the 501(c) non-profit status and he asked me to take a look. I showed up for one rehearsal and his sister, Julia, managed to rope me into doing publicity." She fished into her purse and pulled out a post-card sized flyer. "Oklahoma. Julia is Aido Annie and she's honestly quite good. Jeremy and I are going opening night, you should check it out."

"I enjoy theater." Brennan accepted the card and looked at it, wondering if Booth could be dragged along.

"Really?"

"Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals are classics. I remember my mother and father watching the movies when I was little." She smiled fondly and slid the card into her purse. "I'm glad you're involved with something."

"Well, I had to be. Jeremy is always involved with his sister's productions ever since she was 8. Building sets, hanging lights… you know, Jeremy could really teach Seeley a thing or two about hovering." She laughed a little. "Maybe that's why they get along now, the whole over-protective older brother thing."

"He cares."

"Whoa, déjà vu!" She laughed a little. "We've totally had this discussion before."

"But the foundations of the discussion have not changed at all, so perhaps we'll be having it a few more times." Brennan winked quickly. "Have you started looking for a new job?" Brennan asked cautiously. Judging from Booth's reaction to the topic, she assumed it would be a sore spot for Kelly as well. Kelly simply shrugged.

"I've been going out to bars that a few lawyers from other firms go to. I've been networking, but no one seems to be hiring right now." She sighed. "Either that or they don't want to hire me."

"Why would they not want to hire you? You're a very aggressive and smart lawyer." Brennan recalled "You do your job well."

"I have now apparently been black-listed."

"Who would do that?" She wouldn't admit it out loud, but being a lawyer seemed like being a part of a secret society that Kelly should never have been a part of.

"Martin."

"But you spoke so highly of him."

"Yeah, but I pissed him off." Kelly laughed as she took a sip of her soda. "I have learned very quickly if you get on his bad side, he can destroy you. Which is exactly what he's done." Brennan looked at her quizzically and Kelly continued. "He used to be vice president of the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He knows people and now I'm known as the defense attorney with ties to the FBI. Not exactly a good thing when I want to work for a large firm. Large firms who aggressively seek out high profile cases like the ones that you and Seeley solve. I'm useless now."

"That's illogical." Brennan shook her head. "You can't change who you're related to."

"No, you can't, can you." Kelly smirked a little. "And the merits of my work should be enough, right? But it's not. Not when your brother is a high profile crime fighter." She chuckled to herself. "Who knew that what you and Seeley do, something so heroic, could be so catastrophic for me?"

"I'm sorry." Brennan looked down at her plate of half-eaten food.

"Eh," Kelly shrugged. "Don't be. I could easily solve the problem if I were so committed to doing so. I could move out of the area. But I don't want to, so I'm still trying to figure out what to do."

"The Jeffersonian is hiring legal counsel." Brennan offered with a smile. "I can put in a good word for you."

"No, please." Kelly shook her head. "Like I said, merits of my own work, not the work of my family and friends."

"At least let me help you make orange juice." Brennan said after a second of thought.

"Orange juice?" Kelly choked back her soda.

"Yes, life has handed you a proverbial lemon." Brennan placed her hand, palm up, in the air. "So now you have to make orange juice."

"You've been talking to my brother." Kelly narrowed her eyes and smiled.

"He is my partner." Brennan's hand fell to the table

"He's a friend, too." Kelly laughed. "I guess it's alright for friends to share their woes."

"He had nothing to do with this, it was my idea."

"You ran it by him first I assume."

"Of course."

"And he didn't object." Brennan shook her head. "Of course." She sighed. "Have you ever heard of the Senoi tribe?"

"In Malaysia? They're capable of lucid dreaming."

"They control their dreams and they are among the healthiest people in the world. There is no fear, no unhappiness…" She swallowed and continued. "I want that. I know it's close to impossible in this westernized world, but I want to control my dreams, I don't want to be afraid anymore."

"Psychologists have found that another key aspect of the Senoi tribe's superior mental health is the fact that as a community, they share their dreams, talk about the symbolism. It's called dreamwork. When they discuss their dreams, they talk about how they change their behavior and attitude in future dreams." Brennan explained, very familiar with the Senoi phenomenon. "They discuss it with their families. The families help eradicate fear and unhappiness, it's not something that the Senoi people are capable of doing themselves."

"I have a family, I have you, but what I'm saying is that I need to control my dreams."

"Make orange juice." Brennan repeated, trying to rephrase her statement in a way that Kelly would understand. "You're dreaming of lemonade, make orange juice. Yes, we're your family and who better to help you?"

*

10 year old Seeley Booth crept down the hallway, skipping over the third, fifth and eleventh floorboard, knowing they would squeal under pressure. He stood at the top of the stairs, straining to hear what was happening downstairs. He heard the tell tale sounds of his mother in the kitchen, washing the dinner dishes and a deep rumbling from the garage. His father must be in there, sitting in the car. That's what his father did now. After dinner, he would go and open the garage door and get in his car. Sometimes he would drive away, but sometimes, like tonight, he would just sit in there. Seeley didn't know what he was doing out there, but he was happier knowing that his father wasn't in the house.

Certain the coast was clear, he continued down the hallway. The room at the end of the hall used to be Jared's room. Ever since she came a few weeks ago, it was hers. Jared and Seeley had to share a room, which didn't make Seeley very happy. He was older than Jared and Jared simply didn't understand that he needed little brother-free time.

The door was slightly ajar, but the lights were turned off. He crept towards the door, vigilantly looking over his shoulder to make sure no one was around. He pushed the door gently, knowing that if the door was opened more than 6 inches, it would make a loud popping noise. Carefully, he stepped into the room and breathed the familiar scent of baby powder.

Seeley took a few steps into the room before he stepped on a wooden block. "Damn it." He muttered. He knew he wasn't supposed to say things like that, but it made him feel older, more mature and worldly. Plus, his dad had said it when she was dropped off at their front door, so in his mind, that might as well have been her name.

Slowly, he made his way to the crib in the corner. He placed two hands on the rail and pulled himself closer to peer in. He wasn't expecting two round brown eyes to be staring back at him.

"Hi." He said as she blew a little bubble out from between her lips. "You're kind of gross, you know that, right? I mean, you poop a lot. More than I do. And you're annoying. The ladies at church, they've renamed you. "Kelly Booth the Cutie Pie." I think it should be "Kelly Booth the Poopy Head." How about that?" He criticized as he rested his chin on his hand.

Kelly reached a tiny, pudgy fist up to grasp at him, but she missed, closed her fist and pulled it back in.

"You're not too smart, are you." He laughed and stuck out his finger and dangled it over her. She reached up again and this time was able to grab something. "But I guess you learn quick enough." He acquiesced with a grumble. He wiggled his finger slightly seeing if she would hold on. She didn't let go.

"You shouldn't have come here. Your life is going to be so different now." He said while turning his wrists in lazy circles. "I should hate you. You're stealing everything away from me. My mom doesn't stop talking about you. When you two picked me up from school today, I heard all the other mother's talking about Dad's bastard baby. That's you." He reminded. "Mom couldn't pick me up from baseball because you had a doctors appointment. Jared got left at school last week because you were sick and Mom was too busy with you. And Dad…" He trailed off and looked at her closely. She had brown eyes, the same exact shade that looked back at him when he looked into a mirror. They stared back at him, wide and unblinking, as if challenging him to give up. "Dad doesn't even know you're here. He pretends we're all gone, I guess."

He stopped talking again, still twisting his wrist around and she was still holding on tight. After a few minutes, she started making gurgling noises and kicking her legs as if she was aiming at his hand. The gurgling turned into a whimper.

"Hey," Seeley looked at her seriously. "Don't make too much noise, you'll get us both in trouble." With the sound of his voice, she seemed to calm down. She let her legs fall onto the mattress and she blinked once and then held his gaze. "You like it when I talk to you, huh?" He smiled. "You like to know you're not being forgotten. I wish I knew I wasn't being forgotten."

As if in response, she yanked on his finger, pulling him further over her crib. Shocked, Seeley started to pull away, but she looked up at him and with a big, gummy grin. She smiled at him. For the first time since she was welcomed into his dysfunctional family, she smiled. The warm feeling he felt bubbling up inside of his belly wasn't a reaction he expected. Her smile spread through out her face, causing her eyes to squint a little and he smiled back, not knowing his grin was almost an exact reflection of hers.

"I guess we've just got to stick together." He whispered conspiratorially. "Make sure we're not forgotten, right?" She blew another spit bubble and he cringed. "But first, you have to get older and get over this spitting thing. It's really is gross."

_**..fin..**_


	5. Epilogue

_So I decided I needed to wrap up my current AU a little better. And I'm writing another story where Daddy Dearest, Joe Booth, plays an integral role, so I wanted to do a little explaining now because it didn't fit into the story. Hopefully this does the trick._

_…also, I'm avoiding wrapping presents before I travel to my parent's house for the weekend. Heh. Happy Holidays, folks!_

* * *

Epilogue

* * *

Kelly's fingers nimbly buttoned up her light blue oxford shirt. She observed herself in the mirror after she tucked it in to her dark gray pants and smiled. This was it. The first day of her new job. It had taken Brennan weeks to convince Kelly to take the job. She wasn't heavy-handed with it, but every time the two were together, Brennan would bring up a recent case the Jeffersonian counsel was working on. Even Booth was impressed by her suave tactic. And it had worked. It had peaked Kelly's curiosity about the position and she finally went in for an interview, securing the job.

She twisted her shoulder-length blonde hair into a bun and secured it with a claw clip.

"Hey." She saw Jeremy approaching in the mirror. He wrapped his arms around her waist and put his chin on her shoulder. He was dressed for work, wearing khakis and a polo shirt, but his hair was still wet from the shower and it tickled Kelly's cheek. "Do you want me to take a picture? You know, first day at a new school?"

"I haven't had my picture taken on the first day of school since I was 12 and living with Alice." Kelly laughed and turned around in his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Then I think it's about time." He chuckled. "Grab your briefcase and I'll call Seeley and get him over for the obligatory sibling picture."

"Oh crap." She pushed against his chest and pulled out of the embrace. "Seeley wanted to meet me for breakfast before the big day." She frowned a little. "But I like being at your place. Breakfast always tastes so much better in bed."

"I like sending my girlfriend off with a complete and balanced meal." He laughed as he started out of the bedroom.

"Liability claims don't defend themselves! I must be strong and balanced." Kelly teased in response as she turned back to the mirror.

"You want a glass of orange juice before you head out?" He stopped in the doorway and turned around.

"Orange juice would be great." She smiled satisfactorily

*

17 year old Kelly Booth stood in front of her father's barber shop. The rotating red and white pole captivated her and the pulsating colors helped calm her uneasy nerves. In her hand, she grasped the papers she so desperately wanted her father to sign for her: papers that would allow her to go to college and turn her life around.

Swallowing her pride, she pushed open the glass door and was welcomed by a familiar jingle. Standing behind the chair in the far left corner, she saw a tall man with broad shoulders hunched over the back of a head of white hair. Her father straightened up, looking in the mirror while laughing with the man in his chair. She looked into the mirror and saw how his dark hair was flecked with gray and how the wrinkles around the eyes deceptively belonged to a man who still seemed cold and distant.

The man in the chair noticed her first.

"Joe!" The man called out suddenly. "Is that a ghost standing in your doorway?"

As soon as he spoke, Kelly was able to place his face. Mr. Hoag. A long-time family friend who's wife attended church with Alice and the younger Booths. Memories of Mr. Hoag were intertwined with Kelly's memories of all major church, school and family events for the past 17 years.

"Kelly." Joe said her name not with pleasure, but almost as a curse.

"Hi," Kelly stood there awkwardly. She hadn't planned this part of the conversation. "Dad."

"Pat," Joe slapped the shoulder of the man sitting in the chair. "You want to come back tomorrow for that shave?"

"That actually works perfectly for me, Joe." Gracefully, Mr. Hoag stood up. "Katherine wants me to stop by the grocery store before I go home anyway."

"Thanks, Pat." Joe shook the man's hand. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Mr. Hoag started towards the door and smiled as he walked past Kelly. Reassuringly, he placed his hand on Kelly's shoulder and leaned in and whispered, "It's good to see you again, Kelly."

"Good to see you too, Mr. Hoag." Kelly smiled genuinely as Mr. Hoag left the barber shop. She was left standing there by the doorway and her father stood his ground in the corner. He started pacing around the room as if mapping his territory.

"I thought we decided that you weren't going to come back." He said after a minute.

"We did." She nodded. He stopped pacing and looked directly at her. "I need something from you."

"Of course you do." He sighed and sat down in one of the waiting chairs. "Well?"

"I um," Kelly took a step into the shop. "I want to go to college." He eyed her suspiciously and she continued. "I don't know if you know, but I got my GED while at rehab and I've found a way to pay for community college in Virginia and I want to go."

"You needed to tell me this?" He rolled his eyes and Kelly suddenly felt rage boiling up within herself.

"I'm still only 17. I can't get in without your signature." She reminded him with sarcasm. "You're still my legal guardian."

"We've moved on, Kelly." He said after regarding her for a moment "You are not welcomed back in our house."

"I understand." She nodded.

"Seeley has moved on and you're not to go disturbing him. I don't want you pulling him back into your life." He pulled out a pair of reading glasses and pointed them accusatorily at Kelly.

"I won't." She stood up straight and held her ground.

"You'll be in Virginia?"

"Yes."

"Hand me the papers." He sighed and held out his hand, impatiently wiggling his fingers.

"You won't tell anyone?" She crossed the room cautiously and held out the papers for him and he took them roughly and looked them over.

"I most certainly will not." He confirmed as he signed his name with a flourish.

"I'll be 18 next year and I won't need you to do this." She reminded.

"Wonderful." He nodded and handed the papers back to Kelly. "Good luck, Kelly."

"Thanks, Dad." Kelly sighed with relief and started back towards the door. She stopped as she placed her hand on the door handle and turned back around to look at her father one last time. He was still sitting in the chair, his arm thrown lazily over the back and his legs linked ankle over knee. He looked so relaxed and confident, Kelly didn't know if the emotion within her was longing or hatred. Maybe, she admitted to herself uncomfortably, it was both. "Don't worry." She threw over her shoulder, "I won't be messing up your life again anytime soon."

"Take care, Munchkin." Joe Booth said softly as the bells started clanging and the door slammed shut.

Once outside, Kelly walked down the street for a few feet, but stopped when she almost ran into a familiar figure.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Hoag!" Kelly stepped back and smiled unapologetically.

"We missed you at Christmas this year." He put his hands on her shoulder to steady her.

"I uh," She shrugged.

"You were spending time with your mother." Mr. Hoag nodded in understanding. Kelly guessed that was what Alice and her father had told everyone.

"Exactly." Kelly smiled at Mr. Hoag. He was a nice man and she had never understood exactly why he was friends with her father.

"What are you doing these days, Kelly?" The man guided her to the bus stop a few feet away and they sat on the bench. "Moving back in with Alice and Joe?"

"Um, no." Kelly shook her head and looked down at the papers in her hand. "I'm actually going to college."

"Well, well," Mr. Hoag laughed. "Time sure does fly by."

"It sure does." Kelly agreed with a small smile and said to herself, "I wish time flying could be like ripping off a band aid." Mr. Hoag looked at her curiously and she felt compelled to explain. "I wish I could make it easier. Hurt less."

"Beginnings are scary, endings are sad." He smiled sadly off into the distance. "Most men around here drink away the middle and lose what's important to them. Kelly," He looked down at the teenager. "Don't ruin the middle. I'm a man at the end of my life, enjoying the sunset of my years, but I can say this: That middle part is what matters the most."

"I'm trying, Mr. Hoag." She had always respected the man who was her father's drinking buddy and close family friend, but she now saw a man past the prime of his life. She put her hand on his hand and looked up at him. "Can you make sure that Alice is taken care of?"

"Already done, Kelly." He laughed a little. "Seeley asked me the same thing. Come to think of it, so did Jared."

"She's special." Kelly nodded and stood up. "I need to get going. Thank you, Mr. Hoag."

"Kelly," He called out as she started walking down the sidewalk. She turned around and looked at him expectantly. "Just because you've been evicted," He started slowly, obviously knowing more than he was letting on. "Doesn't mean you don't have somewhere to go. Remember that."

With a slight nod, Kelly smiled at the man and turned around and started back down the sidewalk, knowing she may never see him again. Knowing that she would always have somewhere to go: up.

**_..fin…. again.._**


End file.
